State Police Launch Anti-Tailgating Operation

More than 300 drivers have been ticketed in an Anti-Tailgating operation by the state police this month.

By Tuesday 318 drivers were charged with following too closely and 40 were issued warnings.

Through the initiative, called "Stop Tailgating, You're Too Close," troopers doing highway patrols in the Hartford and New Haven areas and along the shoreline will be looking to stop drivers from driving too close to the cars in front of them. They will watch for offenders on I-84, I-91, I-95 and I-691, plus on routes 8, 9, and 15, state police said.

The purpose of the campaign is to educate drivers and reduce crashes, police said. A review of areas patrolled by troopers in the central part of the state shows that tailgating causes more than 40 percent of all accidents, they said.

"We're not looking to give out tickets," Vance said Friday. "That's not our objective here. We want people to know the law and understand the law and voluntarily comply with the law."

Having said that, troopers will take enforcement action when warranted, he said. The fine for violating statutes 14-240, "Vehicles to be driven reasonable distance apart," and 14-240a, "Vehicles to be driven reasonable distance apart, intent to harass or intimidate," is $132.

The state police have a new tool to help them enforce the law. Troopers will use a new laser technology that allows them to measure the distance between vehicles, Vance said.

The state Department of Transportation will help educate motorists by flashing anti-tailgating messages on highway signs, Vance said.